Rarordinary

Model United Nations: A
Arabic 101: A-
Econometrics: B
National Security: B+

You know you're anal when, after the toughest semester of your life, you're disappointed with a 3.5 semester GPA. You know you're really anal when you find yourself irked that that lowered your cumulative GPA by .02 points.

I wish I was an insanely smart person. Insanely smart people have both crazy right and left brain capabilities. They go on to be Rhodes or Fulbright scholars, get published in major academic journals, present their undergraduate papers at conferences, and get graduate degrees at top-tier institutions. Unfortunately, I sit on that annoying divide that separates the extraordinary students from the ordinary ones.

I guess you could call me rarordinary.

But the more I think about it, the more I realize that the rarordinary line isn't the worst place to be. Although I would love to have that e-x-t, I've had to come to terms with the fact that I'm not superwoman. I can only devote so much energy to the various facets of my life, and academics is only one of many.

In reality, my 3.5 this semester represents so much more than an A, A-, B and B+.

• It represents a part-time job.
• It represents spearheading a volunteer committee for a charity event that raised $15,000+ for development agencies around the globe.
• It represents helping the BYU Model United Nations team win nationals (again) this year in New York City.
• It represents writing for and helping publish monthly issues of the BYU Political Review.
• It represents the Boston Marathon.

Maybe being rarordinary ain't such a bad thing after all.

On Limits

Have you ever seen those cute little plaques that say "I hope you dance"?

Dance?

How about "I hope you swim across the English Channel?" Or "I hope you bike across America?" Or "I hope you raft the Zambezi River?" Probably wouldn't fit quite as well on a plaque, but hey, if you put any phrase in Comic Sans, people'll buy it.

Maybe I'm just bitter because the whole dancing thing didn't work out for me. My parents dropped hundreds of dollars on years of lessons, only to see their little girl achieve mediocrity and a closet full of hideous recital costumes. They're probably out there looking for plaques that say "I hope you don't dance, it costs me way too much money and you suck at it."

I believe that most people need to dream bigger. The human mind and body is capable of so much more than we give it credit for. I am always inspired by people who like to push this envelope. One of them is my dad. He's almost 50 years old and climbing Everest (not the whole mountain, "only" up to 21,000 feet). I just got word that he's even outhiking some of the sherpas in his group. No altitude sickness. No nothin'.

Thanks, Dad, for never limiting yourself. It's been an inspiration to me all my life. 

***

You don't get an email like this every day...

Hello Everyone!

After a 4000 foot climb at a 45 degree pitch topped off by a 600 foot vertical ice climb then 300 foot straddle of a razor-sharp edge with a 1500 foot drop to my right and a 2500 foot drop to my left, I summited Island Peak 4 hours and 15 minutes after I started. Everyone else in my group had to go down fast a few days earlier and even Dawa my guide had to break off at 18,000 feet due to altitude sickness. That left my head Nepalese guide,Tendi, and I to see the summit. I took pics on the summit with a picture of my beautiful family held next to my face and had a good cry.

It was far more technical and dangerous than I was led to believe. Physically it was the hardest thing I've ever done to climb that pitch topping off at 21,012 feet. We had started the day at 17,000 feet. The average time to get to the top is 8 hours so Tendi and I busted it out! We were the first two on top and had the summit to ourselves. On top I was staring in the face at the 1st(Everest), 3rd(Lohtse) and the 4th(Makalu) highest mountains in the world!

The 600 foot rappel down the glacier was the most fun I've ever had (because I was going down)! On the upper portions where it all turned to ice we did the whole "cross the crevasse on the ladder wrungs" with your crampons on. You can't believe how hard it was to effort up a glacier at 20,000 feet then climb near vertically for another 1,000feet. But MAN was it rewarding and a thrill.

Now every step I take brings me closer back to you all. I'm now at 13,000 feet where the air is thick. (Nearly as thick as my beard but not even close to the thickness of my mustache!) I wish I could jump on a plane right now and get home to hug all of you. You know I have not seen a car in 16 days! I haven't had a shower in 7 days. Do you still want that hug?

I have had great health considering the travails of those in my group and others I see along the way. I would give a king's ransom for a solid 8 hours of sleep. A good night is 3 or 4. You actually wake up gasping for air like someone has been smothering you and if it isn't that then you have to pee 8 or 9 times a night because you have been focused on hydrating plus the altitude tag-teams you. I have a Nalgene bottle by my bedside and fill it up. Obviously more information than you needed.

I have missed each and everyone of you and have so much more to show you through pictures and the extensive journal I've kept. I will sign off but know that success is when preparation meets performance. Climb every mountain. Ford every sea. Now it's time for me to go potty!

Love, Dad

Diamonds and Babies and Hikes...Oh, My!

What a weekend!

Saturday: We woke up early-ish to go hiking in the mountains near our house (see previous post...I told you we would do it!) It was beautiful, but MAN was it steep! There was nary a flat or downhill section for a good ninety minutes. Here's the thing that gets me about hiking: You're always expecting to be rewarded with some fantastic mountain vista after you get to the top of this one last hill. I'm talking "Sound of Music" style...rolling green meadows, wildflowers, maybe a cute little mountain stream, deer, bunnies, rainbows, the whole nine yards.

Well, we went up that "one last hill" about twenty times and never quite got that vista! The last half mile or so of our hiking was in snow, so we were up pretty high...and, I'll admit it, we did see some beautiful views. Plus I loved how quiet it was. Brock and I were literally the only ones on the trail for miles and miles, and despite the fact that it was noon on a Saturday, you could not hear a single sound.

The next thing we did on Saturday was help our friend Chad propose to my cousin Heidi at Thanksgiving Point! She loves the Tulip Festival that happens every year (tulips are her favorite flowers), so we all went in a group. She wasn't expecting anything seeing as it was her idea to go in the first place. Here is the video of Chad proposing to her in the Secret Garden...she was so surprised and so happy! It was great that Brock and I got to be a part of it!

Those two lovebirds went up to Salt Lake for dinner afterwards (at a restaurant called The Garden overlooking the SLC temple....way to tie it all into a theme, Chad!) while we headed to Five Guys for dinner and zipped down to BYU to watch a volleyball playoff game! BYU killed UCLA...on to the next round! 

Sunday: We went to Bountiful for a Boyce baby blessing (try saying that five times fast). Brock's cousin Jeff and his wife Missy are the proud parents of their second child, Jeffrey Timothy, and it was so great to be up there to spend time with the Boyce clan. We sure do enjoy spending time with them! Brock's aunt Sharon makes the best raspberry cinnamon rolls, too! My mouth is watering just thinking about them.

Besides that our day has been filled with visiting teaching, home teaching, and all sorts of other end-of-the-month Sunday stuff. Looking forward to some reading, naps, and any relaxation I can take in before spring classes start on Tuesday! :(

Things I Love About Provo

I should be more grateful to live where I do. I hate on Provo all the time...partly because where I grew up in Colorado was like heaven on earth. In lieu of writing a "Things I Miss About Fort Collins" list (which I am sorely tempted to do), I've decided to compile a list of all the things Provo has going for it. Isn't there a primary song about having an attitude of gratitude? Or Barney? Or something? 

1. Spark. Spark is a cool restaurant on Center Street that feels so not Provo. No families, no crying babies, no strollers. It has dim lights, modern decor, and an ever-changing menu and drink list. Brock and I don't go there that often because it is a little pricey, but when we do it's so worth it. 

2.  Bicentennial Park. It really is beautiful. Wide open spaces, picnic tables, a marshland with a wooden walkway that winds through it, even a natural aquifer with that you can drink right out of on a hot day. 

3. Jumbleberry pie shakes at The Malt Shoppe. 

4. Sweet potato fries at Guru's. Best in town! They always come out hot, fresh, and with just the right amount of crisp. Plus, they're sweet potato fries, so they're healthy. Especially when you dip them in fry sauce.

5. The quattro formaggi sauce at Gloria's Little Italy. 

6. BYU's campus in the springtime. I love springtime at BYU...it's when campus truly comes to life (not with students...with greenery!). It's especially gorgeous if you get a light snow overnight, in which case the whole campus is filled with blooming flowers, trees, and freshly mowed grass, butstunning snow-capped mountains in the background. Plus, campus is way lax in the springtime because hardly anybody is around. And it's fun to watch all the little EFY kids try to be cool. Precious.

7. French toast at Kneaders. One the best breakfasts in Provo...and I love breakfast.

8. Banana cream pie shakes at Sammy's. A whole piece of banana cream pie in every shake. A whole piece! You can get all kinds of other varieties--coconut cream pie, mint chocolate chip pie, etc--but banana cream is the best. Sammy's is just a cool place in general. It's got way chill employees who'll just lean over the counter and shoot the breeze with you (our favorites are Kayla and Sean), really cool artsy decor, great music, and they're open way late on weekends. 

9. Having the mountains right near my house. 

10. My hair stylist. Shea Lynn Scheiss at David Douglas salon has been a godsend to me! After literally YEARS of searching for "my hair girl" since moving to Provo (and going through six or seven duds...) I finally found her! Shea can read my mind. I'll try to articulate to her exactly what I want (with moderate success at doing so) and yet my hair always comes out looking EVEN BETTER than what I'd had in mind! Shea just listens to you and does what you ask her. None of this "I'm the hairstylist I know best" business. Plus, she's fast. I'm usually out of there with a cut and color in 2.5 hours tops.

11. Living so close to extended family. My Grandma and Grandpa Thomas have been a part of my relationship with Brock pretty much day one. They live twenty minutes away in American Fork, and we're always heading over there for Sunday dinners, game nights, etc. We also live close to my Aunt Cindy and Uncle Rob, who frequently host Sunday get-togethers for all the Kern cousins attending BYU. I've gotten so much closer to so many of my cousins because of it. I love having my family as my best friends!